Automatic gear lock for window regulators



July 19, 1927. 1,636,105

H. l-\. MYER$ AUTOMATIC GEAR LOCK FOR WINDOW REGULATORS Filed Oct. 27, 1926 W3 wzz wf Gum,

Patented July 19, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUBERT A. MYERS, or 'roLnno, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE MYERS REGULATOR COM- IPANY, OI TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

AUTOMATIC GEAR LOOK FOR wmnow REGULATORS. 1

Application filed October 27, 1926. Serial No. 144,464.

My invention has for its object to provide an efficient meansfor automatically locking windows in any position in which theymay be placed upon completion of any operation of the window regulators in raising and lowering the windows, the said means operating also to automatically unlock the windows when the actuating device of the window regulator is operated to raise or to lower the window. The locking means is for the purpose of preventing the opening of the window by aforce appliedto the window and the provision of means which will automatically unlock the window to permit free operation of the window regulator.

The invention particularly relates to that type of window regulators for automobiles wherein a crank is rotated for thepurpose of raising or lowering the window, and in constructions embodying my invention, a dog operates to engage a moving part of the regulator, when rotation of the crank is discontinued, and automatically disengages when the crank is operated. In the preferred form of the'invention the dog is controlled by a cam connected to the crank which operates the dog to engage and disengage a sector that is actuated by a pinion,

connected to the crank.

The invention may be contained in window regulators of different forms and, to illustrate a practical application of the invention, I have selected a window regulator containing the invention, as an example of such constructions, and shall describe it hereinafter. The window regulator selected for purposes of illustration is shown in the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 of the drawing illustrates a side View of the window regulator. Fig. 2 illustrates an edge View of the window regulator shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view of the section taken on the plane of the line 3-3 in dicated in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a dog that is adapted to engage the rack shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a cam that operates the dog shown in Fig. 4.

The window regulator of the form shown in the drawing is provided with a mounting plate 1 that may be secured to any suitable part of the frame. Generally the mounting plate is located below the window. A seetor rack 2 is pivotally supported on the mounting plate 1. The sector rack 2 is in the form of an arcuate strip, and an arm 3 is connected to the ends of the arcuate strip I by any suitable means such as by the rivet 4. J

Preferably the rack is located between the plane of the arm 3and the plane of the body portion of the mounting plate 1. The arm 3 is pivotally supported by means of a pin or rivet 5, or other suitable means. The

free end of the arm 3 is connected by a suitable means to the window that is raised .or 3

lowered by the operation of the window regulator. i

The rack 2 is actuated by rotation of the pinion 8 which is located on, or formed in-' tegral with, the shaft 9. Preferably the A cam member 11 is located on the outside 7 of the tongue 10 and is secured to the shaft 9 by means of a pin 12. The cam 11 is preferab'ly formed of sheet metal having radial corrugations 13. The number of the corrugations 13 is preferably the same as that of the number of teeth of the pinion 8. A dog 14 is so disposed as to engage the teeth of the sector and also so as to be controlled by the corrugations of the cam member;

The dog 14 has a finger 15 that rides on the peripheral portion of the corrugated cam member 11. The dog 14 is pivotally supported on the mounting plate by ears 16 and the studs 17 A spring 20 is also secured to the mounting plate 1 and is bent so that it will yieldingly press the end of the finger 15 against the peripheral portion of the cam member 11. The dog 14 is also provided with one or more engaging noses 18. In the form of construction shown, the dog 14 is provided with two fingers 19, and engaging noses 18 are located on the ends of the fingers 19. The noses 18 are so positioned and shaped as to fit between two pairs of teeth,

the pairs being located on opposite sides of the point where the pinion and the rack interengage. The pinion teeth are so formed that there will be some loose play between them and the teeth of the rack which per- .7

mits a slight movement of the cam member 11 in advance of the movement of the rack 2 that is produced by the pinion. During this free movement of the pinion relative to the teeth of the rack, the corrugated cam member will move the dog 14: from its engaging relation with respect to the rack 2 and, upon the continued movement of the shaft, the pinion will move the rack 2 and consequently swing the arm 3. If the shaft is rotated slowly the cam will permit the dog, which is actuated. by the spring 20, to interi'nittently engage and cause it to disengage the rack 2. If, however, the shaft is rotated at the speed which is usually employed in raising and lowering the Window, the movement will be such as to prevent the dog from engaging the rack, but upon cessation of the movement of the pinion, the dog will engage the rack and thus lock the window from movement. Thus the dog automatically disengages from the rack and automatically unlocks the window when rotation of the pinion is started and automatically engages the rack and locks the window when rotation of the pinion ceases.

I claim:

1. In a window regulator, a shaft, a pin ion connected to the shaft, a rack actuated by the pinion, means interconnecting the rack and the window for raising and lowering the window upon movement of the rack, a dog for engaging the rack, means connected to the shaft for actuating the dog to release the rack as the pinion teeth engage and move the rack.

2. In a window regulator, a pinion, a shaft connected to the pinion, a rack, means interconnecting the rack and the window for raising and lowering the window upon movement of the rack, a dog for engaging the rack, a cam connected to the shaft for actuating the dog to release the rack as the pinion teeth actuate the rack.

8. In a window regulator, a pinion, a shaft connected to the pinion, a rack means interconnecting the rack and the window for raising and lowering the window upon movement of the rack, a dog for engaging the rack, a cam member connected to the shaft and having peripheral corrugations for operating on the dog to release the rack as the pinion teeth actuate the rack.

4, In a window regulator, a pinion, a shaft connected to the pinion, a rack, means interconnecting the rack and the window for raising and lowering the window upon movement of the rack, a dog having a pair of engaging noses for engaging the rack on opposite sides of the point of engagement between the pinion and the rack, a cam located on the shaft for operating the dog to release the rack as the pinion teeth actuate the rack.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

HUBERT A. MYERS. 

